Kickstarter, the Future of Publishing, and How Renderosity Helped
Shape My Career

I am a full-time, freelance illustrator. While I’m not
rich or famous, I can say that I make a modest and happy living
doing what I love. I feel that I am indebted to Renderosity for two
reasons:

One, I was lucky enough to take 1st place in the 2008 Christmas
Art Contest, thereby securing a full copy of 3D Studio Max, which I
use every day of my life. I’ve won a few other awards, like
placement in “Society of Illustrators, West” and a
silver “Mom’s Choice Award” for a series of
children’s books, but honestly, nothing beats a stable, legal
suite of tools. Best contest ever.

Two, I visit Renderosity often for inspiration and the
infinitely useful offerings from the store’s 3D wares. What
if it’s 4 AM, and I have a project due that includes showing
a complete, messy kitchen in the scene? I’ve finished the
room, the textures, the lighting, and the principle cast of
characters...but now I need props...How do I add 30 background
details and keep my health and sanity? I might just find the boost
my scene needs on Renderosity. As I said, infinitely useful and
ultimately part of the total equation of survival for future
illustrators. Thank you, sincerely, creators of 3D content
libraries.

I also wrote in to mention that I am currently trying out the
Kickstarter model of publishing at the moment. In case you
haven’t heard, Kickstarter is one of several crowd-funding
web sites. This is the basic formula for getting your book idea out
there, from the last 100 years:

1) Spend an innumerable chunk of your life securing an
agent-either an illustration agent, or a literary agent, or both
(harder than it seems!). You will meet with resistance, as agents
get inquiries every day. Did I mention that illustration agents
take 25%, one of the highest percentages taken, from the one of the
most modest artistic trades.

2) Then spend several years submitting your manuscript. Collect
lots of rejections based solely on the disallowance of trend lists,
or the capricious sifting of interns through the
“slush” pile of unsolicited ideas...Yeah, your idea is
pretty much considered refuse by the industry because they just
don’t care much about originality. They want time-tested and
safe book ideas that adhere to media trends. Sad but true.

With crowd funding, now, you can let the people decide if they
want to pay for your book “in advance,” which
ultimately lets you create (without corporate edits!), print and
publish your own project. It might be easy to make broad
assumptions about the merits of funding art this way, but
let’s face it, it’s a wholly new channel for people
whose creativity has been stifled. I believe crowd funding is here
to stay, and will give luck and hope to artists who work very hard
at their own ideas, but have no way to share them.

My wife and partner on the book, Audrey Durney (also a talented,
degree-holding illustrator), and I have always had an affinity for
medieval bestiary books, illuminated manuscripts, old Dungeons
& Dragons art, H.P. Lovecraft’s stories, and Brian
Froud’s book “Faeries” (for one)...and Dr.
Who...which pretty much sums up the inspiration for “Birds of
Lore.”

It’s a book of mythological birds from throughout time,
legends, folktales, paranormal stories and literature with what we
hope is eye-popping illustration. Art-wise, the artists of Birds of
Lore are very different. I am an unapologetic 3D artist, and Audrey
is a vector art and Painter guru. We also hope to use the
Kickstarter budget to bring in at least 4 guest illustrators who
are renowned for their fantasy prowess, like the wonderfully unique
art of Socar Myles, for example.

*We are also inviting submissions (concept sketches or final
art) from anyone at the $25.00 or higher pledge level. We are going
to pick at least 3 favorite submissions and pay for their inclusion
in the book.

Of course I am hoping beyond hope that you’ll take a look,
and perhaps decide that, much like the many 3D bits and druthers
that I happily added to my shelf from Renderosity talent, you might
also need this book for inspiration, and you might even love the
idea that you are handing money straight to a rogue 3D artist,
instead of an industry that has become a series of walls and gouges
for creators.